Socket for receiving electric igniter plugs



Jan. 24, 1950 A. J. KROLL ET AL SOCKET FOR RECEIVING ELECTRIC IGNITERPLUGS Filed April 5, 1949 Patented Jan. 24, 1950 UNITED STAT ES PAT ENTOFFICE SOCKET FOR RECEIVING ELECTRIC IGNITER PLUGS neeticut ApplicationApril 5, 1949. Serial No. 85,516 Y 7 Claims. (Gra ls- 3 2) y Thisinvention relates particularly to what are commonly termed automaticlighters for cigars, cigarettes and pipes and the main object is togreatlysimplify the construction and make it more reliable.

Insuch constructions, there is a tubular socket shell which contains athermostatic latch to be engaged by a contact flange on a plug-inigniter device, such for instance as thatshownin United States LettersPatent No. 2,338,565. These thermostatic latches have usually beenprovided with three symmetrically arranged arms supported by a terminalspindle.

It has been discovered that a much better effect can be produced by theuse of a two-armed thermostatic device by suitably constructing andcentering the parts.

Fig. .1 is a longitudinal sectional view. of a socket'embodying theinvention intended to re- -ceive:an'igniter plug, on the plane ofthel'ine l-I of Fig. 2'.

Fig. 2 is a front. end view of the socket of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane of the line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4is a sectional view of the supporting disc of Fi s. 1 and 3, thesection being taken on the plane'of the line 44 of Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 is a face view of an insulating spacer.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the washer of Fig. 5, the sectionbeing taken on the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side view showing the spindle and with the switch contactsin section.

Fig. Sis a front View of the parts shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view of one end of the socket, thesection being taken on the plane of the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1-0.is a perspective view of the thermostatic latchmemben.

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the base contact.

The shell [2 of the socket is cylindrical and adapted to be supported ina hole in an instrument board (not shown) and constitutes the groundedside. of. the switch circuit. The .open front end has a flange I3 whichabuts against the front of the board in the usual manner. The inner endhas a transverse wall [4.

The thermostatic latch which constitutes the inner switch contact isformed of a single strip of resilient bimetal having only two arms l5,l5 connected by elbows l6, IE to a raised cross piece IT.

The tips 3 of the latch arms are inclined outspindle from the wall andthe disc 21.

wardly and concaved towardthe axis of the shell so-as, to, center thecontact rim of the plug (not shown). C

The base contact .has two feet l9; l9,1a' depressed center20 and twoprojecting lugs 2|, 21. The width of the depressed portion across" thelug sis approximately equal to 'the'width of the cross piece l-l betweentheelbows l6; l6 so as to center the latch and base contact when theyare assembled on the spindle 22 between collar 23 and washer 2t andsecured by riveting the end 25. To permit the use of a latch of maximumoverall diameterthe shell is cut away at 26, 26.

For simplicity in manufacture, accuracy of assembly and reliability inoperation, the latch must'be perfectly centered in the shell. This isassured; by the arrangement herein set forth whereby the spindle iscentered at one end in the rear wall [4 and near'the other end by ametallic disc 21 which fitsthe inside of the shell. This discll hasnotches 28, 28 in its opposite edges which mesh withindented-projections 29 in the shell. A cylinder or layer of insulatingmaterial 30 surrounds the spindle 22 and thus spaces the An insulatingspider 3| ismounted on the spindle between disc 21 and the base contact20 and has notches 32 which receive lugs 33 which project from the disc,and the lugs 21 on the base contact. Thedisc 21 has perforations 34 toensure clearance for the lugs 2|, 2| when the parts are assembled. Aspacer tube or eyelet 35 surrounds the insulator .30 between the wall l4and the disc 2'1 so as toaccurately position the disc when the nut, 36is tightened against the spring washer 3! andthemsulating washer 38.This latter washer is centered in a recess 39' concentric with thespindle.

By means of this improvement, the construct1on has been greatlysimplified and the cost reduced below the cost of sockets with theconventional three-arm thermostaticdevices, the parts being fewer andaccurately formed and assembled. There is lesslikelihood of errors inassembly.

We claim: l. A socket for anelectric igniter comprising a shell having atransverse rear "wall and a side Wall, a metallic centering disc withinsaid shell and having parts interlocking with the side wall forpreventing relative rotation and having projections, a spindle passingthrough said rear wall and said disc, means for insulating said spindlefrom said disc and said rear wall, a spacer on said spindle between saiddisc and said rear wall, contact means carried by said spindle andineluding a two-armed thermostatic latch and having projecting lugs andan insulating spider on said spindle between said contact means and saiddisc, said spider having notches arranged to receive projections on saiddisc on one side and notches arranged to receive projections on saidcontact means at the other side.

2. A socket for an igniter plug comprising a shell open in the front endand having a transverse wall at the rear end and a side wall, a metallicdisc in the shell spaced inwardly from said rear wall, said side walland disc having intermeshing parts to prevent relative rotation, acentral spindle extending through said end wall and said disc, means forinsulating said spindle from said shell, tubular means for spacing saiddisc from said end wall, means for removably clamping said spindle tosaid Wall, a two-armed latch member extending across the center of saidshell, said latch being mounted on said spindle and means for insulatingsaid latch from said disc, the end of the spindle being riveted to holdthe latch in place.

3. A socket for an igniter plug comprising a shell open in the front endand having a transverse wall at the rear end and a side wall, a metallicdisc in the shell spaced inwardly from said rear wall, said side walland disc having intermeshing parts to prevent relative rotation, acentral spindle extending through said end wall and said disc, means forinsulating said spindle from said shell, tubular means for spacing saiddisc from said end wall, means for removably clamping said spindle tosaid wall, an abutment having two feet, a two-armed latch memberextending across the center of said abutment, said latch and abutmentbeing mounted on said spindle adjacent its inner end and an insulatingspider interlocked with said abutment and said disc, the end of thespindle being riveted at the end to hold the abutment and latch inplace.

4. In a socket shell for an igniter plug having a rear wall and a sidewall, a latch member having a cross piece with two extending armsconnected by bent elbows to the ends of the cross piece, said side wallhaving clearance openings adjacent said arms, an abutment memberextending behind and transversely of the cross piece of the latch memberand having lateral lugs, a spindle supported at one end in said rearwall and supporting said latch member and said abutment member, a discon said spindle intermeshing with said side wall for supporting saidspindle at a point inwardly of the rear wall,

projecting lugs on said disc, an insulating spider,

said spider having slots interlocking with the lugs on said abutmentmember and with the lugs on said disc and means for insulating saidspindle from said disc.

5. As an article of manufacture, a socket shell for an igniter plughaving a rear wall and a side wall, a latch member having a cross piecewith two extending arms connected by bent e1- bows to the ends of thecross piece, an abutment member extending behind and transversely of thecross piece of the latch member and having two feet and lateral lugs, aspindle supported at 4 one end in said rear wall and supporting saidlatch member and said abutment member, a disc on said spindle inside theshell and intermeshing with said side wall, projecting lugs on saiddisc, and an insulating spider having slots interlockingwith the lugs onsaid abutment member and with the lugs of said disc and preventingrelative rotation of the parts.

6. A socket for an electric igniter plug comprising a shell having arear wall with a central opening and a cylindrical side wall with in-lturned projections, a plug latching unit mounted in the bottom of saidshell, said unit including a screw-threaded stem extending through theopening in the rear wall to the inside of the shell and insulatedtherefrom, an abutment contact on the stem adjacent its inner end forlimiting inward movement of the plug a two-armed latch member supportedby the stem inwardly of the abutment contact for latching a plug in thesocket, a metallic disc supported on the stem adjacent the abutmentcontact and having notches in its periphery interlocking with theprojections on the side wall of the shell for supporting the latchingunit adjacent the abutment contact, means for insulating said disc fromsaid stem and spacing said disc from said rear wall, and a nut 0n thestem outside of the rear wall for securing the unit to the rear wall.

'7. A socket for an igniter plug comprising a tubular shell having atransverse rear wall, a central screw-threaded spindle mounted in saidwall and extending into said shell, a metallic centering disc mounted onsaid spindle, said shell and disc having parts which interlock with eachother to prevent relative rotation and to support the spindle inwardlyof the rear wall, a spacer tube on said spindlebetween said disc andsaid wall, means for electrically insulating said disc from saidspindle, said means including an insulating washer interlocked with saiddisc onsaid spindle, a base contact having two spaced feet mounted onsaid spindle, said contact and said washer having parts which interlockwith each other to prevent relative rotation and a bimetal latch stripmounted on said spindle and having two arms arranged at 90 to the feetof said base contact and a nut on said spindle-clamping said spindle andits attached parts to the rear wall of the shell.

ALFRED J. KROLL. HENRY W. BILGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,128,016 Sinko Aug. 23, 19382,129,792 Sinko Sept. 13, 1938 2,135,270 Ashton et a1. Nov. 1, 19382,236,483 Bahr Mar. 25, 1941 2,267,011 Ashton Dec; 23, 1941 2,326,333Cohen Aug. 10, 1943 2,338,565 Ashton et a1. Jan. 4, 1944

